On 28 May 2015, at the plenary session of the Parliament of Georgia, the Chairman of the Sector Economy and Economic Policy Committee, Zurab Tkemaladze, stated: "Our country has had an international obligation on digital broadcasting since 2006… not a single step has been taken or a single line of text written until our government assumed office."
FactChecktook interest in the accuracy of Zurab Tkemaladze’s statement.
The process of switching from analogue to digital broadcasting started in the 1990s. The majority of developed countries have already switched to digital broadcasting. Digital television makes it possible to transmit more programmes (15 standard and from four to six high definition programmes with a single channel). In addition, the advantages of digital television include: better image, brighter colours and better audio quality. Digital broadcasting also encourages competition and, hence, facilitates the development of the market.
Georgia is switching to the new format of broadcasting as well. Digital broadcasting will substitute the already existing analogue surface broadcasting. The countries of the first region (including Georgia along with its neighbours) of the International Telecommunication Union tookthis international obligation by signing the 2006 Geneva Agreement. It should be noted that 17 June 2015 was determined as the latest date for switching to digital broadcasting. In the case of not fulfilling the obligation, the frequencies assigned for broadcasting a country’s programmes will become exposed and the analogue frequency signals overshadowed by the digital signals of the neighbouring countries.
Directive No. 384 of the President of Georgia on the Approval and Enactment of the Regional Agreement on Planning the Surface Digital Radio Broadcasting Service was published on 21 June 2007. A Council on Switching to Digital Broadcasting was created at the end of 2012. The Council was made up of the representatives of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Georgian National Communications Commission, broadcasting companies and non-governmental organisations. In 2013, with the involvement of the National Communications Commission, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia formulated a strategy for switching to digital broadcasting. European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) experts also participated in the process. In February 2014, the Government of Georgia adopted an action plan for switching from analogue to digital broadcasting. Appropriate legislative changes connected with digital broadcasting were also made.
The LEPL Digital Broadcasting Agency was formedon 14 February 2014. The Agency is a structural unit of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia. The work of switching to digital broadcasting is coordinated by the Agency.
The aforementioned work was conducted in 2014 and 2015. The construction of network infrastructure is finished at this point. Set top boxes (the device necessary for receiving digital signal) have appeared on the market. According to the Agency, the number of set top boxes on the market is sufficient. In addition, the Agency bought about 211,000 set top boxes for socially vulnerable families. The process does not concern the users of cable, satellite or internet television services. Televisions with digital support will not need the set top boxes.
The transition stage or the so-called simulcast period started from March 2015 which means that both analogue and digital signals are transmitted simultaneously.
We talked with the Director of the Digital Broadcasting Agency, Nino Kubinidze, about switching to digital broadcasting. "We fulfilled the obligations taken by the country by the 2006 Geneva Agreement in a maximally short period of time. For example, in order to plan the digital network infrastructure you need to study in detail what you already have in terms of an analogue format. You must have technical data about the condition of the stations, for example. We did not have all of this and due to the lack of time we were forced to do theoretical planning," said Ms Kubinidze. The Georgian National Communications Commission also stated the lack of time as the biggest challenge for switching to digital broadcasting.
We also talked with the Head of the Strategic Development Department of the Georgian National Communications Commission, Tiko Tkeshelashvili. She stated: "The Government started working on switching to digital broadcasting in 2013, actually. The National Communications Commission planned the frequencies before that but this was not yet reinforced by legislation. There was no strategic document on switching to digital broadcasting either." She also explained that, before 2012, the main activities of the government, concerning the issue of switching to digital broadcasting, was limited to a periodic meeting and consultations with experts.
We also contacted the Deputy Head of the Telecommunications, Informational Technologies and Innovation Department of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Jemal Vashakidze, who has actively participated in the process of switching to digital broadcasting throughout the years. He stated: "The process of switching to digital broadcasting started at the end of 2012. Before then, the preparation work was being done – meeting the experts, studying foreign practices and so on."
It should also be pointed out that according to the Georgian National Communications Commission and the Digital Broadcasting Agency, countries neighbouring Georgia did not fulfil their international obligations and did not switch to digital broadcasting after 17 June 2015 whilst Georgia will be switching to this new type of broadcasting from 1 July 2015.
Switching to digital broadcasting in Georgia will happen gradually. Analogue signals will be terminated gradually as well. As Tiko Tkeshelashvili said: "We can say that there are no problems at this stage and switching to digital broadcasting is going successfully; however, in order to avoid unforeseen problems in the process we think it would be better to switch off analogue signals on local levels in Tbilisi and in certain regions as well and not on a country level."
On 15 June 2015 it was announced that the date for switching to digital broadcasting would be postponed to 1 July 2015. The Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, stated: "All kinds of infrastructure has already been created and the country is ready to switch to digital broadcasting; however, taking into account the aftermath of the recent natural disaster we deemed it reasonable not to create further inconveniences for our population as they have already experienced a situation of great stress. We will take 1 July instead of 17 June as the date for switching to digital broadcasting."
Conclusion
According to the 2006 Geneva Agreement, Georgia (along with its neighbouring countries) took an international obligation to switch to digital broadcasting by 17 June 2015. The aforementioned obligation was reinforced by the 21 June 2007 Directive No. 384 of the President of Georgia.
The Council on switching to digital broadcasting was created at the end of 2012. According to the Georgian National Communications Commission, the practical work for switching to digital broadcasting started in 2013. In February 2014, the Government of Georgia adopted an action plan for switching to digital broadcasting. The Digital Broadcasting Agency, which coordinates all of the required work, was created on 14 February 2014. Legislative changes necessary for switching to digital television were also made. A transition period started from March 2015 and both analogue and digital signals are broadcasted simultaneously.
According to the information of the Georgian National Communications Commission and the Digital Broadcasting Agency, countries neighbouring Georgia are not switching (or cannot switch) to digital broadcasting. Analogue signals in Georgia will be switched off gradually and the process will start from Tbilisi. Due to the natural disaster which took place in Tbilisi on 13-14 June 2015, the date for switching to digital broadcasting in Tbilisi was changed from 17 June 2015 to 1 July 2015.
FactCheck concludes that Zurab Tkemaladze’s statement is MOSTLY TRUE.
